The Boston Bruins have plenty of work to do this offseason when it comes to righting the wrongs rooted in a miserable 2024-25 season. With more than $26 million in cap space, could the team allocate most of that spending power toward the top free agent on the market: Toronto star Mitch Marner?
As jarring as it would be to see Marner don a black-and-gold sweater after years spent battling Boston in the postseason, Maple Leafs writer James Mirtle isn’t discounting the Bruins as a viable contender for Marner’s services this summer.
In a ranking of Marner’s 32 possible destinations, Mirtle tabbed the Carolina Hurricanes, Los Angeles Kings, Utah, and Vegas as the “most likely fits” in the pursuit of Marner.
But after those four, Mirtle also listed the Boston Bruins among the teams in the next tier vying for the winger, alongside the Ducks, Blackhawks, Avalanche, Blue Jackets, Red Wings, Panthers, Predators, Sharks, and Lightning.
“It was certainly a lost season in Boston this year, but do they try and pull a Capitals and retool quickly? Between David Pastrnak, Charlie McAvoy, and Jeremy Swayman, they have a lot of strong pieces in place, so scorched earth doesn’t seem like the way to go,” Mirtle wrote.
“It would be a bit of a heel turn for Marner, given they’re such a big rival in the division, but I don’t think we can rule it out entirely just on that basis. They certainly have the cap room after their big sell-off before the deadline.”
A 2% Chance for Marner to Stay with the Leafs
Mirtle tabbed Marner returning to the Maple Leafs as a “2 percent chance” of happening this summer. The winger is set to command one of the heftiest contracts in NHL history if he goes to market, and his inability to put the Maple Leafs over the top in the postseason might frighten some teams — and fanbases — from investing heavily in the forward.
But, there are a few instances where a superstar in his prime, like Marner (who turned 28 in May), is up for grabs for whichever team is willing to pony up the cash.
Marner Could Be the Missing Piece
If Marner was interested in joining the Bruins, he’d serve as a much-needed remedy for a team in desperate need of skill and scoring punch.
Much like how David Pastrnak was driving his line alongside Elias Lindholm and Morgan Geekie in 2024-25, a fellow right wing in Marner could anchor his top-six line in Boston — even if his supporting cast (Pavel Zacha? Casey Mittelstadt?) might be a work in progress on a retooling Bruins roster.
Amid all the negative labels that Marner might carry as a smaller, skilled player whose playoff credentials might not pop, he’d address several needs for the Bruins.
What Marner Brings to the Table?
Marner — who has four 90-plus point seasons on his resume — posted a career-high 102 points this season with Toronto, and is one of the better playmakers on the power play in recent years (33 points on the man advantage last season).
The 6-foot winger is also a weapon on the penalty kill and outside of the offensive zone, as he paced all Toronto forwards in average shorthanded ice time (2:14) this past year while leading all NHL forwards in takeaways (56).
A Strategic Investment or a Risky Move?
While the Bruins could be better served turning what could be a $12–15 million a year annual payout to Marner into 2–3 other players, the idea of adding another franchise fixture to the lineup is tempting.
With the offseason still early, fans are already speculating about what the Bruins’ future looks like — and if Marner is truly in play, it could be the biggest move of the summer.
Whether it happens or not, one thing is clear: the Bruins are looking to make a splash in free agency, and Marner is at the top of the list.
